


Out of the Woods

by Thistlerose



Category: Lord of the Rings (2001 2002 2003)
Genre: Backstory, Gen, Gen Fic, Siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-09-13
Updated: 2010-09-13
Packaged: 2017-10-11 18:17:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/115458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thistlerose/pseuds/Thistlerose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Even as a young girl, Éowyn took challenges very seriously.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Out of the Woods

Éowyn thought she saw light up ahead, but refused to let herself hope; she was very tired and for the past few hours, her eyes had been playing tricks on her. She'd spot what seemed to be a break in the thick tangle of trees, and rush forward, tripping over roots and rocks, only to find no such thing.

Her hair was a hopeless snarl. She'd lost a shoe, her dress was torn and mud-caked, her arms and legs bruised and bloodied. But she wasn't frightened. So she told herself again and again, proudly. She might have shrieked when that hairy thing with all the legs burst from the underbrush, but that was only because she'd been _startled_. She hadn't dropped her knife, anyway, and she was quite certain she'd have been able to kill the thing if it hadn't run off.

Moreover, she'd done what she'd set out to do, found what she'd been instructed to find. She couldn't wait to see the look on Éomer's face. And Theodred…well, he'd be very impressed, naturally.

It _was_ daylight. With a glad, exhausted cry, Éowyn bunched up her filthy skirts and ran. In a moment she'd cleared the trees. She stopped, gulping in fresh air and blinking in the ruddy light of late afternoon.

Presently, she became aware of men on horseback. She dropped her skirts and brandished her knife, but then she realized that she knew all the riders: her uncle the king, Gamling, Theodred, and Éomer.

Her brother swung down from his saddle and ran to her. He seized her by the shoulders and shook her, heedless of the knife she still clutched in her fist. "You fool!" he shouted, and even in the long shadows of the trees, she could see that his face was ashen. "You foolish girl, what were you thinking?"

"You _told_ me to go!" she retorted indignantly.

"What's this, Éomer?" said Theoden.

"I didn't think you'd actually _go_. My lord," Éomer went on, turning to face the king, who did not look at all amused, "I swear to you, if I'd thought for a second that she'd actually _go_ —"

"Fangorn Forest," said Theoden gravely. "You told a little girl to—"

Éowyn did not like being called little. Nor did she like being reprimanded, particularly by her brother, who wasn't even that much older than she was. Particularly in front of Theoden, Theodred, and Gamling. She broke free of Éomer's grip, reached into her sleeve, and drew out the flower. It was well mangled, but recognizable.

" _Here_." She thrust it at Éomer. "I said I'd get it and I did. Now you have to keep your promise and teach me to fight." Her voice rang in the stillness and the setting sun. She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin, daring her brother to break his promise and lose honor before the king.

"All right," Éomer said at length. He took her by the shoulders again, but this time his grip was gentle. "Though you'll make a fine sight."

"She's already a fine sight," Theodred commented, and Éowyn blushed. "And if he doesn't teach you, I shall."

"And if _he_ doesn't," said Theoden, " _I_ shall."

2.14.09


End file.
